Machine-type communication (MTC) is a form of data communication that involves communication between one or more entities that do not necessarily need human interaction. A service optimized for MTC differs from a service optimized for Human-to-Human communications. For example, MTC is different from current mobile network communication services as it involves different market scenarios, data communications, lower costs and effort, a potentially very large number of communicating terminals with, and to a large extent, little traffic per terminal.
MTC applications do not all have the same characteristics. Consequently, not every system optimization is suitable for every MTC application. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Service Requirements for Machine-Type Communications 3GPP TS 22.368 defines MTC Features that provide structure for the different system optimization possibilities that can be invoked under 3GPP TS 22.368. For example, MTC Features provided to a particular subscriber are identified in the subscription, and MTC Features can be individually activated.
Specific service requirements for various MTC Features are defined under the 3GPP TS 22.368 Technical Specification, such as Low Mobility, Time Controlled, Time Tolerant, Small Data Transmissions, Mobile Originated Only, Infrequent Mobile Terminated, MTC Monitoring, Priority Alarm, Secure Connection, Location-Specific Trigger, and Infrequent Transmission. Group-based MTC Features that have been defined include Group-based Policing, and Group-based Addressing.
A Group-based MTC Feature is an MTC Feature that applies to a particular MTC group, such that each Group-based MTC Feature is applicable to all the members of the MTC Group. Accordingly, a Group-based MTC feature requires a Group ID defined in order to address a particular MTC group. MTC Feature Group Based Addressing is intended for use with a MTC Group for which a network operator would like to optimize a message volume when many MTC-type devices need to receive the same message.
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